Oslo Pro Golf Tour

Wondering if the people here have the same problem, where's the ball....Have been reading on several websites here in Norway about the situation of norsk golf.... There are many different meanings around and about that's for sure. Have also read several opinions about the substainability of a tour like OPGT and people are writing that they have no belief in a system like the one I came up with. That's ok, I have also my doubts after this season with no tournaments being played because the lack of players. That's my question. Where are all the players? I for one have no idea and maybe there are next to none here in Norway? Maybe they are not willing to pay the money themselves for playing a such tournament? Maybe the clubs are not willing to help them pay for the entry fee? Maybe, maybe, maybe... I will be trying again this next summer and have recieved just positive vibs from the courses that said yes this past season and that they are willing to try and help out next season as well. I had in the begining many people that wanted to jump on the bandwagon and "help", but I must be honest and say that was a big learning experience in itself. The only people who helped were the clubs that said sure to the idea and that have a vision of where professional golf is going here in Norway. I would love to have the possiblity to help improve the situation for my fellow pro's but I am in a situation where I can just do what I can do, myself. I must say - that's really ok too.. I have more or less given the idea of being a club pro up, being treated like crap the last two clubs I have worked at has left such a foul taste in my mouth that I just can't jusity using more of my life trying to accomplish something in the sport of golf at the club level here in Norway. I know that coaching the hoopsters will give me more satisfaction than training a bunch of spoiled daddy's kids. The kids I meet through the hoops are willing to shut up and work their butts off to achieve their goals and I must say it's really refreshing to see that kind of work ethic. Golf I would assume will be more about myself and my own kids in the years to come if not for an act of God or something. I have missed playing the game this season, once my knee is fixed maybe I'll have the time to devote to practice, improving, playing and seeing what happens... The little guy won't let me not play, he's still playing inside every chance he gets and we've been doing some putting at the club... ;-)

Tiger and Phil the Thrill

Watching the FedEx Cup this season was real exciting! I thought it was great to see Phil get his mojo going again and make some putts. Tiger on the other hand didn't make more than one putt his final round and it's my opinion that he would run away with all the trophies if he putted above average everytime. It just goes to show how good that man is, can't make a putt and he's still got a chance... Fun, fun, fun. I am looking forward to playing as soon as my knee and heart will allow.. Hoping for a fast recovery with the knee after that gets fixed, no time line as of yet but sooner rather than later I hope.

Gone....

About 30 seconds later he was gone... Funny little guy, he slept for almost an hour and boy did he need it. I watched the Tour Championship last night. Tiger should be leading by a few more than one shot, he missed two putts inside 5 feet last night, two holes in a row and it would be interesting to see the stats on that. I would bet that has never happened or it has been Many years scince the last time. That being said, I do think for the sake of excitment and the overall enjoyment of watching I was 'glad' to see him miss and let the other guys at least think they have a chance. I marvel everytime I see the man play and am very grateful that I can be so blessed to live and see what is most likley the greatest player of all time. I guess everyone who saw big Jack play in his prime thought the same but I am not so sure. I have seen both live and in person, I was so lucky to see Jack the same year he won his last Masters title and that was one for the ages but this young man Tiger.... what does one say...? He's at least now, playing in his own leauge and I can't see one prospect for that anyone, anytime soon is going to make a serious challenge... but it's fun to see all the guys try ;-)

Going, going..........

Leon is alomst out, we had been out at the course putting and here he is after we got home...

FedEx Playoffs - Tour Championship

I have to admit that I have enjoyed this Playoff season, the PGA Tour has maybe figured it out and seeing the points system working is fun. The last tournament two weeks ago was exciting and I was caught up in who was going to make the top 30 in the points race. It was sad to see Brent Snedeker four putt the last hole to give Luke Donald a spot but that's the way the cookie crumbles. I would be lying if I said I wasn't most looking forward to seeing Tiger play but of course it's fun to watch all the guys. Anyone of the top five guys win, they walk away with the trophy and 10 mill. If that dosn't get your motor going then I don't know what to tell ya ;-)

Lots of questions..... No answers......

Been reading some of the golf websites here in Norway. One of the better players here is leading the q school and by his own words he says it's because he has gone back to his old coach, hmmmm... interesting? Maybe for some but not for this man. I have said all along that these better players here in Norway are taken away from there home clubs way to soon in their development. In this country, where golf is concerened the powers at be have a lot to learn about building and keeping the better players in their continulary progress twords bigger things. Here they choose players from age 10-11 to take part in national and regional gatherings with coaches from the governing body, my lord, 11 years old and already being pointed to as being extra special. Uff a meg.. most of these kids don't even know if they'll be playing golf in 5 years. Burn out is what we call it where I come from, when the governing body does this it puts so much extra pressure on these kids that I wonder if they loose sight that it's a game and has to be played accordingly. I have had the pleasure of working with some good players and I must say that the best ones are the ones that have stuck to what they learned from their club pro and not the wolves in sheeps clothing. These coaches from the governing body need to step in here and think. Use your brains and stop thinking about how to secure your job in the future and do what's best for the kids, leaving them alone would be a good start, let them mature at their home club, play tournaments at their local clubs and for god's sake stop screwing around with the natural talent they already have. I don't and have never understood why the governing body in this country has so many employees and is it possible that all the golf clubs need to be looked after like a 2 year old? I am assuming if the clubs were more or less left to themselves then we'd see a revival of the golfing intrest here in this country. If you leave the big choices to the people sitting in their cozy little offices and not to ones in the field, then you see the results pretty clear and this little country is a great example of what not to do. If the governing body here continues to hire non-golf professionals for their lead posistions then the spiral will continue to grow out of control. I would assume there are actually plenty of qualified individuals here that could help guide the golfing community out of the hole it's in but it's to bad that the governing body here seems to only accept help from it's closest neighbor and in that regard we just get the rejects that can't get a job in their own country. Tough words? Maybe. After living it for the last 13 years, I believe that I have a small idea of the thought processes and decision making that occur and I think it's sad. You have a handful that are making choices that not only affect the game itself but can and often do result in that people with talent just get so sick of the paper pushers that they give up and this includes good players and coaches alike. My 2 cents anyway......

Mamma said knock you out....

Have you ever felt this way? I have and do, there are many reasons for this. Most of all it's arrogant people who continue to push their no clue agenda's. The one thing that I have wondered about scince moving here is that with a population of a little over 4,5 mil, which is not even half the size of New York, Chicago, LA, London... Or about the same size as Berlin, Paris.. How and why is this country giving Billions to the UN every year... top 5 almost every year.. where are the G 20 countries on this list? Many of them are behind this little country.... What the hell is going on here, sending billions away when we can't even take care of our own? You'd think the native here would have these numbers on the brain, but no, no... most people here have no clue about the amount given away and the how, when and why's. Almost everyone is living in their own little box, their own reality, not seeing or wanting to see the others around them that are in need of help, right here, right now, at home. In my own little world I can conciously see the above statement clear and precise, I too live my life in my own little box... uff da.. how to come out of that reality? I have no 100% answer, reading, watching alternative news, meditation, read more, and praying is my best medication for the urge to knock some people right out. I can understand the skeptics in regards to most things but when you have the facts and the recipie for change, then the question is in the end... why or why not is it happening? The answer to this is not an easy one and for most people they have no time to investigate the questions that pop into their heads, they are to busy with "life".. Uff a Meg... Time to go offensive here, I have not a worry about the constant back talk, double speak of all the nay'sayers... Let them come, as a man of almost 40 it's time to listen to my Mamma.. LL can tell you more by clicking here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7l250E5uM4

INR??

Uff a meg, uff da.... Was at the doctor's today to take my fifth inr in five weeks, and of course the last reading was to low. So I called the heart section at the hospital and the nurse said that I have to wait another 5 weeks and that I have to continue taking the weekly tests... It costs me 90 kr a week to take the blood test plus the meds.. Uff da.. I was really looking forward to getting the shock treatment (well, truthfully speaking, I am looking forward to the hopeful results of the procedure, not the actual treatment itself) I have been through it once b4 and it's a little scary. So, now I have to not only take these weekly blood tests. I have to play the waiting game all over again.. that's the hardest part of the whole crappy deal. Wondering how and why my heart got the way it is? After all the hoops I've played in my younger years, all the physical activity I have had in my life I would just assume that my heart would be strong. The last time I had the ultra sound on it the heart doctor said the same, my heart is ok, except for the fact it's shaking all the time it's trying to beat and pump blood around my body. I can not understand myself, but I am looking forward to the day that it beats normal again. I am looking very much forward to the day I can work out without wondering and stressing about my heart. For all those who read my stuff and have no heart or other physical problems, I hope you all say your thanks for being "normal and healthy".. believe me it's a real bonus. I have never been one to think "my body is a temple" or anything like that, but maybe I am floating twords this way of thinking. One of my fellow workers at LUB said to me last night that she can see that I've lost some weight, something I can honestly say I have not been trying to do, but I have been eating less latley, more or less because I have lost my desire for food, not because I'm dieting or "trying" to loose weight. Not that it hurts da. ;-) Would be nice to get somewhere around 105 kilo's, but that is a looooooooooooong way off... First things first.

Leon making putts...

We were out at the club yesterday putting... the green was really good and it was fun to see the ball roll in the hole from many meters. Leon even made some long putts, he got lucky once and made a 20 footer right on top of mine... Wish I would have had that one on vid.. Oh well, at least I have the memories. Today we were at Tanja's unckle's 80th birthday in Mysen. The party was held at a hunting club lodge or club house.. the party and everything was real nice. It's great for Nuffin to get out and see his family when we have the chance. I know he likes being home with us best but it's only a good thing for him to hold contact with his family in Mysen if you ask me. There was lots of good food and cakes and we ate ourselves full that's for sure. Going on a three night barage of night shifts starting tonight.. I think it's much better to work 2 to 3 days in a row with the night shifts and have 4 to 5 days off in between. My schedule is more or less like that but this week I have worked two single nights spread out over four days.. that's uff da. Anyway, looking forward to coaching the kids this week and I just hope we can get more players to practice on wens. Our games start in a month or so and I am excited for the kids to get some matching...

Here we go again...

Have noticed on the golf clubs web-site that they are planning a meeting for the juniors and their parents for next tuesday. The goal for the meeting is to figure out what "they" are doing and what the plan is for the future. I have to wonder, in my two seasons working there it was the same situation after each season, "what are we going to do..??" This is why my daughter has not been taking part in the clubs training, it's ridiculous that these people will use each and ever fall to try and figure it out... again. In my time in the club we had built up a junior group that went from almost 0 to 50 juniors that had participated in practice. Maybe the total of active juniors was between 25 to 30 but we were going in the right direction. So what happened? Let me tell you, I had to travel to the US the last season I worked there, I had family problems that I had to take care of which was unlucky but I did have an assistant pro there at each and every practice. Even though this was open for the clubto know it had no meaning in regards to being pushed out... You can read the earlier posts and see the pictures of the juniors I had been working with during my time as head pro and you can see the dates from the last pictures, sometime in late July. I am not trying to complain, I just think it's real sad to see my local club going in the wrong direction in regards to creating a club/junior plan that involves hiring people that are trying to monopolize the pro offerings in this area. It's my experence that clubs need their own pro, not one that is working at several different clubs at the same time. It reminds of a particular pro that worked here in Norway for a number of years ago, he, before he left the country, had three or four different clubs that he was in charge of and what happened to this person and the clubs he worked at?? Nothing, absolute 0, he ended up taking the money and running... Be careful here golf clubs, when you have these kinds of actors shedding their sheeps outfits and showing their wolves teeth for the first time. A pack of wolves. When you have actors trying to go around the rules and letting people teach that have not taken the schooling, is real dangerous. I for one will not sit by and watch it happen. The PGA of Norway has a job to do here, if playing profesionals are going to start teaching, I for one will be asking (well, maybe not asking) the PGA for a total refund of the 100,000+ kr I used for the education I recieved. What's the point of having the schooling when playing pro's can just go ahead and start teaching??? Anyway, just a little heads up to those who read my stuff, things are moving in the wrong direction here.......

Night Shift, Uff Da....??

Here's a picture of Amanda when we were in Palm Springs a couple years ago.. about 0430 at Denny's eating the Grand Slam Breakfast.. She was tired.. Worked a night shift on Monday, an extra one, and I am still feeling the results of it.. Of course after a year of working night shifts at LUB one would think I'd be a pro at turning the day around and get back to a "normal day rythym"... Wrong.. I think the body is never going to be used to it, being a little tired is not the hardest, it's the missing out on the daytime and the sun. I enjoy the solo part of the job and if things work out with the basketball club then I will have even more to keep myself busy during the night. Another approach to looking at the night shift, we have the little guy and it has been a great way for me to earn some money while we are able to keep him home these first two-three years. When he starts in kindergarten then I'll have to see about this night shift working, I do in some ways enjoy the job, the only thing is that I get sooooooo tired and need a bunch of sleep to catch up on the missed hours. Read the other day that when you work night shifts you are creating a sleeping debt that you have to pay back and the only way to do that is by sleeping. Yeah, yeah... Gotta get up and get my day started, have hoops tonight and a new night shift on thursday to friday.

Handball Player

Amanda played a handball game yesterday. Rade vs. Skiptvet, they lost 4 - 16 if I remember correct. Now, the following opinons are based on watching a large majority of the girls scince they started playing handball (team handball for you non norsk readers)at the age of 5 or 6. To see the improvement of each girl as an individual and how they play together as a team very fun to follow. Given my coaching experience I also find it hard to sit there and not judge the new coach. She (the coach) is, if I remember right is 18 years old or something. I personlly have not had any kind of conversation with her but she seems engaged in her job and from what I gather from Amamnda she has the trust of the girls, which is a big part of teaching them anything. Amanda played super in the game, she scored 2 tough goals and played goalkeeper for 10 min. The first two games Amanda has played every minute and has had to play some goalkeeper in each game. This last game the girls were unlucky when they only had one referee, there should be two and I don't understand how the handball club complains about things as such. In their first game the girls had played real well and in my opinion had the win taken away from them by inexperienced referee's. Yeah, yeah.. funny how us old coaches see the small things that add up in regards to the total package. In the game yesterday the girls were missing their main goalkeeper (who is real good), middle player (who is real good), plus when Amanda has to play goalkeeper the team loses maybe the one player that can really create her own shot in the offense plan of things. Amanda has made her wishes clear that she wants to come to basketball pratice with me as well and if this becomes an interest for her then I wonder what will happen with the handball in later years. In terms of that I am not so sure if the kids of today are aware that basketball can give or open doors to possibilities to scholorships in the US for college prospects. Team handball is a very popular girls and women's sport here in Europe and the chance for Amanda to play that at a high level for many years to come is of course 100% up to her. I heard something kind of funny while watching the game yesterday, Amanda had just scored her second goal, a real tough and good shot with the defence players hanging all over her, someone man in the stands said "oye, oye, that girl has the body for this game.." and of course this man didn't know that I was her pappa but I just had to smile and think to myself that yep, that's my little (or now maybe not so little) girl. Ha ha ha... Amanda, like I have always told you, you will ALWAYS be my little gull klump. Anyway, I must admit that seeing these girls play is real fun and I look forward to watching every game that I can. The hoop games will be starting in a month or so, and I am not sure what weekend day that most of these games are on.. I hope saturdays because Amanda's handball games are all on sunday's... Maybe I should talk to the new coach and say that if she wants some help or advice of somekind, that I'd be more than happy to give her my help. Not that I'm a handball expert or anything, but after seeing these girls play for the past 7 years, I'm pretty sure this old coach as an idea or two. ;-)

Halla!

Here is Leon getting his hands on my telephone, took a nice picture of himself if I dare say so... We were outside a little today and he was hitting some balls around the yard and playing from his "bunker". He likes to dig around in the dirt and explore the backyard. Must be exciting for him, I think about his reality and what his life experience really is from day to day. I of course see the outside of his little world and he is happy, pretty much all the time, he has a good sense of humor and is always giving us hugs and kisses. So in that sense I can judge that he is a happy little boy, but of course I wish I could get in his little head and know what he's thinking. That goes double for Amanda da, being 12 and almost a teenager, whew, uff da.. She is a real special girl, respectful to her family and friends, loving to all esspecially her little brother. But of course I'd really like to know what she's thinking ;-) Tomorrow is 8 years scince 9-11, hmm, things are still unclear to me about this and I wish the powers at be would really do a good investigaion into what happened and the aftermath, I never did buy the commissions report on what actually happened. Things are coming out and the truth will one day come out. Looking forward to see what happens in the PGA playoffs, I think the pga has maybe figured out the point system this year that keeps more people interested. I like the idea of the guys having to play weeks in a row, playing under great press while being challenged by the physical and mental duress from playing 7 weeks in a row... Poor guys da ;-)

Hoops again...

Have had first training with the boys tonight, a little disapointing that there were only 6 this time, after the 10 we had on Monday. Seems like a nice group of young men (we have one girl on the team, but she is just one of the guys ;-)anyway, we had a good practice tonight, there are many players that need to improve their individual skill level so that the whole team will be better served. Shooting is the one common skill that the players I have coached here in Norway need the most help with. If a player wants to get the most out of his real ability he has to learn how to shoot the ball. Even more so for the players I have worked with here in Norway because they are not for the most part even close to being over 2+ meters, which means eventually they have to shoot it, from yes, the outside. Most and by that I mean almost all the real good athletes play soccer or team handball, ice hockey, or the popular innebandy?? Floor Hockey... Oh well, I have coached long enough to know that we have to get the kids at a young age no matter what the sport. Just like the picture of Leon, his first putt ever (on grass da;-)he does not play floor hockey, he plays indoor golf with plastic clubs and balls... Funny guy. Anywho... Went off on another tanget there.. I think the basketball club has a good idea with their free basketball schools, I have observed many times the long term potential in using ideas as such. Most people will give anything a chance once if they get it for free, it's just getting them to come back time and time again and investing a small piece of themselves in the club/sport that is the key. I believe it has mostly to do with making it challenging but always trying to remember that it should be fun. Trying to get better at basketball, football, handball, golf, whatever sport you choose the overall goal in my opinion should be to get better while having fun at the same time taking on the challenge of improving, seriously. It's these kinds of players I love to coach, players that understand the fine line between the hard work it takes to improve and always remembering that pushing yourself to your limits SHOULD be fun even if there are many times that it's tough, hard work and tiring. Maybe thats the great thing about us humans, we love the challenge of improving ourselves, beating ourselves up both physicaly and mentaly and for the most part understanding that it's just a game anyway :-)